Trash compactor cabinet

ABSTRACT

A cabinet for a trash compactor having a vertically arranged open top, disposable container for receiving trash and a vertically downwardly movable ram for compressing the trash in the container, including a floor pan for supporting the container and a horizontal frame above the floor pan for supporting the ram and a means for moving the ram, with the side edges of the floor pan and frame interconnected by vertical, sheet metal side cabinet panels, each having its forward and rear edges bent into vertical tubular shapes which form the four vertical corners of the cabinet. The tubular shapes function as columns to support the frame and ram, and the panels function to receive in tension and to absorb the reaction load of the ram upon the frame and the compressive load upon the pan, which loads are transmitted to the panels by the frame and pan.

United States Patent Gladwin [54] TRASH COMPACTOR CABINET [72] Floyd R.Gladwin, 14500 Eureka Road, Southgate, Mich. 48195 Filed: May 14, 1971Appl. No.: 143,382

Inventor:

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,438,321 4/ 1969 Gladwin..100/221 3,495,376 2/1970 Lundgren ..100/221 X 3,589,277 6/1971 Gray etal. ..100/221 X Primary Examiner-Billy J. Wilhite Attorney-Cullen,Settle, Sloman & Cantor 1 Aug. 1, 1972 [57] ABS I'RA A cabinet for atrash compactor having a vertically arranged open top, disposablecontainer for receiving trash and a vertically downwardly movable ramfor compressing the trash in the container, including a floor pan forsupporting the container and a horizontal frame above the floor pan forsupporting the ram and a means for moving the ram, with the side edgesof the floor pan and frame interconnected by vertical, sheet metal sidecabinet panels, each having its forward and rear edges bent intovertical tubular shapes which form the four vertical corners of thecabinet. The tubular shapes function as columns to support the frame andram, and the panels function to receive in tension and to absorb thereaction load of the ram upon the frame and the compressive load uponthe pan, which loads are transmitted to the panels by the frame and pan.

9 Claims, 14 Drawing Figures PKTENTEM I I912 3.680.475

SHEET 1 UF 3 INVENTOR.

FLOYD R. GLADWIN.

CULLEN, SETTLE, SLOMAN 8 CANTER PATENTEDAus 1 m2 SHEET 2 [1F 3 FIG. 7

INVENTOR.

FLOYD R. GLADWIN.

CULLEN, SETTLE, SLOMAN a cANTm.

ATT'YS.

PATENTEDMJ: I ma sum 3 or 3 INVENTOR.

FLOYD R. GLADWIN.

CULLEN, SETTLE, SLOMAN 8 CAN'I'OR.

TRASH COMPACTOR CABINET BACKGROUND OF INVENTION Relatively small sizetrash compactors of the type illustrated, for example, in my prior US.Pat. No. 3,438,321, issued Apr. 15, 1969, generally consist of a cabinetwithin which one or two disposable bags are mounted to receive trash,with a compressing ram mounted within the cabinet above the bags forcompressing the trash within the bags. Once the trash bags are filledwith compressed trash they may be removed and replaced. In such typecabinets, heavy framed cabinets have been used in order to sustain thesubstantial compressive loads of the ram upon the trash. For example,such cabinets have included heavy tubular steel frame members, securedtogether to form a load absorbing structure. Over this framework varioussheet metal panels have been installed to form a sightly cabinetconstruction.

Such cabinets are not only heavy but also expensive and time consumingto construct. Thus, the invention herein relates to cabinets suitablefor trash compactors, but which is formed of light weight sheet metal,having minimum parts, easy and inexpensive to construct, with the sheetmetal parts sustaining and absorbing the heavy compactor loads imposedthereon.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION The invention herein contemplates a compactorcabinet whose load bearing parts comprise a sheet metal floor pan uponwhich the trash bag or bags may be supported, an upper frame forsupporting the compressor ram and its operating means, andinterconnecting large sheet metal, side panels whose forward and rearedges are bent into tubular shapes to form support type columns. Thesheet metal panels are secured to the frame and pan in a manner toreceive, in the form of tension loads, ram reactive loads applied to thesupport frame and the compressive loads applied to the floor pan. Thusthe panels absorb these loads and rigidly hold the compactor partstogether.

More specifically, the side sheet metal panels of the cabinet arestructured to provide load bearing and load absorption functions as wellas appearance functions. Thus, a high strength, but relatively low costcabinet is provided herein.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will becomeapparent upon reading the following description, of which the attacheddrawings form a part.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the front andside of the compactor, with the trash loading door swung into its openposition.

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the compactor, and

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but with the unloading door openedfor removal of the trash containing bags.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken in the direction of arrows 4-4 ofFIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a bag holding hopper member, with thebag partially removed therefrom.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional elevational view taken in the direction ofarrows 6--6 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional elevational view taken in the direction ofarrows 7-7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of one side of the cabinet,taken as if in the direction of arrows 8- 8 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8, taken in the direction of arrows 9-9of FIG. 6.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view showing theupper and lower edges of a side panel and their connections to the upperframe and the lower pan.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view, in perspective, of a portion of thefloor pan.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the load bearing parts of the cabinet,with the ram mechanism and the trash bags shown in dotted line.

FIG. 13 is a perspective, fragmentary view, of the upper portion of oneside of the cabinet.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view, to a smaller scale, of a modified upperframe element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIGS. 1-3 illustrate the trash compactor 10 whoseimproved cabinet is the subject matter of this application. The loadbearing portions of the cabinet, which are illustrated in FIG. 12,comprise a bottom floor pan 11 formed of sheet metal having bent sideedges, with the pan opening downwardly, large sheet metal side panels 12and an upper frame 13. The upper frame is formed of tubular metal sidemembers 14, with cross members 15 to which are secured cylinders 16within which compactor rams 17 are mounted for sliding upwardly anddownwardly. The cylinders may be actuated by suitable hydraulic orpneumatic mechanisms (not shown) with suitable timers for actuating theram to move downwardly for compression and upwardly for return. Theconstruction of the cylinder, ram and attendant hydraulic or pneumaticmechanism and timing devices form no part of this invention and hence nofurther details are given here regarding these members.

A pair of containers 18 in the form of large paper or plastic bags aresupported upon the pan, beneath the rams 17.

The forward edges of the two sheet metal side panels 12 are bent intoroughly square cross-section tubular shapes 20 to form front cornercolumns for the cabinet. A space or slit 21 is left between the freeedge of the bent metal and the adjacent body wall, with the slit beingof the approximate width of the thickness of similar sheet metal.

The rear edges of the two panels are likewise bent into roughly squarecross-section tubular shapes 22 forming rear column comers for thecabinet.

Each of the panels 12 are provided with integral upper flanges 23 whichare bent over into a horizontal direction (see FIG. 13), which flangesare fastened to the upper surfaces of the frame side members 14 by meansof suitable welds 24 or rivets. Also, the upper edges of the panels aremechanically fastened to the side faces of the side frame members 14 bymeans of rivets 25 or spot welds (see FIG. 12).

The lower edges of the panels 12 are formed with integral flanges 26which fit underneath and bear against the bottom edge ofthe floor pan 1](see FIG. 10). The lower edges of the panels are fastened by rivets 27or spot welds to the side edge flanges 28 of the floor pan (see FIG.10).

The floor pan is provided with channel members 29 secured thereto andextending the full width thereof for reinforcement purposes. These areillustrated, in crosssection in FIG. 11.

Additional panels are provided to close the front face of the cabinet.Thus, an upper front panel 32 (see FIG. 1) is formed with bent sideedges 33 which respectively fit into the opposite slits 21 in theforward tubular shapes. Rivets 34 (see FIG. 8) secure the edges of thepanel 32 to the rear faces of the forward tubular shapes, wherein thesefastening rivets are concealed.

A top cover panel 35 (see FIG. 1) fits over the upper portion of theupper panel 32 and its bent side edges 36 (see FIG. 8) are suitablyfastened between the tubular shapes 20. A front lower panel 38 coversthe approximately lower front face of the cabinet and its side edges arefastened to the forward tubular shapes in the same manner as panel 35.

The space between the panel 35 and the panel 38 is closed by a swingingdoor panel 39 pivoted to the cabinet side panels by pivots 40 (see FIG.6), and provided with side guide flanges 41 and a bent hand grip edge42. Thus, the door 39 can be swung into vertical position or may beswung into the position shown in FIG. 1 for insertion of trash into thecompactor.

The rear face of the cabinet is provided with an upper panel 43 (seeFIGS. 2 and 3) whose side edges are bent into flanges 44 (see FIG. 8)secured by rivets 45 to the rear tubular shapes for concealing therivets.

The lower half of the rear face of the cabinet is pro vided with a largeswinging, unloading door panel 46 whose lower edges are pivoted uponpivots 47 (see FIG. 6) for swinging the door panel 46 into either thevertical position shown in FIG. 2 or the forwardly tipped position shownin FIG. 3. The upper edge of the door panel 46 is provided with a benthand grip edge 48 for grasping it.

Secured to the inside face of the swinging panel 46 are a pair ofU-shaped channels or hoppers 49 (see FIGS. 3-5) which are fastened bysuitable blocks 50 or similar connections to the panel rear face. Thesehoppers or channels each receive one of the bags 18 and support the bagson three sides. They are approximately the height of the bags. The bagsare secured to these hoppers by means of bending their upper edges intoa fold 51 over the upper edges of the hoppers. The free edges of thehoppers bear against vertical wedge shaped blocks 52 (see FIG. 4)secured to panel 38, to hold them against springing outwardly underpressure.

Suitable casters or rollers 53 are secured to the bottom floor pin forrollingly supporting the cabinet so that it may be easily moved aboutand for elevating the cabinet off the support floor.

FIG. 14 illustrates a modified upper frame 54 which is rectangularlyshaped with cross-members 55 to which the cylinders may be secured.

OPERATION In operation, the rear unloading door panel 46 is swung intothe position shown in FIG. 3 and a pair of large paper or plastic bagsare slipped into the hoppers 49. with the upper edges of the bags foldedover the upper edges of the hoppers. Then the door 46 is swung into thevertical position, at which point the bottom of the bags are supportedupon the floor pan 11 over the reinforcing channels 29.

The cabinet may be pushed against a wall so that its rear surface isconcealed against the wall surface.

When used, for example, in a school lunchroom or cafeteria, the loadingdoor 42 is swung into its open position (see FIG. 1) and trash isdropped through the open doorway to land inside the bags 18.

Periodically, the cylinder 16 may be actuated, either by a manualcontrol or by an automatically timed control, to cause the rams 17 tomove downwardly into the bags for compacting or compressing the trash.Thereafter, the rams retract upwardly into the cylinders waiting theirnext use. This operation continues until such time as the bags arefilled with compacted trash. At that time, the cabinet may be rolledaway from the wall surface, its rear unloading door 46 swung into theposition of FIG. 3, and the bags pulled out and replaced with fresh,empty bags.

Referring to FIG. 12, the compressive forces of the ram 17 areschematically illustrated by the arrows 57. The reactive forces of thedownwardly moving rams is illustrated by the arrows 58 signifying thereactive forces applied to the frame 13.

Similarly, the compressive forces upon the trash, are indicated by thearrows 59 signifying loads applied to the floor pan supporting the bags.These loads 58 and 59 are transmitted to the panels 12 which are then,in effect, stretched or in tension for absorbing the loads and holdingthe cabinet and the parts thereof rigidly together. The arrows 60signify the tension loads upon the panels.

Thus, the forwardly and rearwardly bent edges of the panels providecolumns which normally support the cabinet and the panel bodies, in themain, provide the means for absorbing and resisting the loads upon thecabinet which tend to separate the top from the bottom of the cabinet.

The cabinet described above may also be used for a single ram-single bagconstruction by merely omitting the second ram and bag andcorrespondingly narrowing the cabinet, with the construction beingotherwise the same as described above. Similarly, the cabinet could bewidened for three bag construction, etc.

Having fully described an operative embodiment of this invention, I nowclaim:

1. A cabinet for a trash compactor of the type having a verticallyarranged, open top container for receiving trash and within which trashis downwardly compressed by a vertical ram member having means mountingthe ram member above the container for vertical movement into and out ofthe container, said cabinet comprising:

a horizontal floor pan upon which the bottom of the container issupported, the pan having opposite side edges;

a horizontal frame spaced a distance above and having side edgesvertically aligned with the pan side edges, the frame being formed todependingly support the ram member mounting means;

a pair of vertically elongated, rectangular, relatively thin sheet metalside panels, each vertically extending between a pan side edge and itscorresponding frame side edge, the panels extending the full length ofsaid side edges, with the upper and lower edges of each of the panelsbeing arranged in face to face contact with and mechanically secured totheir adjacent pan and frame side edges;

the vertical edges of each of the panels being bent into integral,continuous, vertically extending tubular shapes, each offset outwardlyof the frame and pan, with the tubular shapes each forming one of thefour vertical corners of the cabinet;

wherein the tubular shapes form vertical columns to rigidly support theframe and wherein the reaction forces applied to the frame by thedownwardly moving ram member and the compressive forces applied to thepan during compression of the trash in the container are transferredthrough the side edges of the frame and pan to the sheet metal body ofeach of the panels, placing these under tension so that said side panelsthereby receive and absorb said reaction and said compressive loads.

2. A cabinet as defined in claim 1, and wherein the upper and loweredges of the side panels are bent into integral horizontal flanges, withthe upper flanges overlapping and arranged in face to face contact withthe upper surface of their adjacent frame side edges, and the lowerframes are arranged in face to face contact with the lower surfaces oftheir adjacent pan side edges.

3. A cabinet as defined in claim 1, and said frame comprising opposite,elongated side members and cross-members spanning between and havingtheir opposite ends connected to the side members, with the crossmembers being located a distance from the opposite ends of the sidemembers for extending directly over and for connection to the ram membermounting means.

4. A cabinet as defined in claim 3, and said pan comprising a flat,rectangular sheet, having downwardly bent integral edge flanges whichform its side edges, and having reinforcing channels secured to theundersurface of the sheet and extending from side edge to side edge andlocated directly beneath the area of the sheet upon which the containeris supported.

5. A cabinet as defined in claim 4, and including roller-type supportssecured to the pan for supporting the cabinet for rolling movement upona floor surface and for supporting the pan a distance above the floorsurface.

6. A cabinet as defined in claim 1, and with one of squarecross-section, each tubular shape extending sideways outwardly of theplane of its respective panel.

7. A cabinet as defined in claim 1, and with one of the tubular shapesformed on corresponding vertical edges of the panels being formed bybending the panel edge perpendicular to the panel body towards theopposite panel, then parallel to the panel body, then perpendicular toand extending back towards its respective panel body, but with freeedges spaced a short distance from its respective panel body to form acontinuous vertically extending slit into the roughly squarecrosssection tubular shape frame thereby;

and a vertical cover plate extending between said corresponding verticaledges, with the opposite d f the cove anel bent i o fla es whic re ii isrted into the ir adjacent s its anii mechani cal fastening meanssecuring the opposite edge portions of the cover panel to their adjacenttubular shapes.

8. A cabinet as defined in claim I, the cabinet having a forward faceand a rear face, with the tubular shapes formed on the rear edges of theside panels each being formed by bending its panel rear vertical edgeperpendicularly outwardly of the body of the panel, then parallel to andforwardly of the panel body and then perpendicular to and towards thepanel body to form a roughly square cross-sectional shape arranged onthe outer surface of and extending sidewise of the body of the panel;

and with the tubular shapes formed on each of the panel forward verticaledges being formed by bending the panel edge perpendicular of the bodypanel towards the opposite panel, then parallel to and rearwardly of thepanel body, then perpendicular to and towards the panel body to providea roughly square cross-section on the inner surface of the body of thepanel, and forwardly of the forward edges of the frame and pan.

9. A cabinet as defined in claim 8, and with the free edges of the sheetmetal bent into forward tubular shapes being spaced a short distancefrom their adjacent body portions to form a continuous vertical slit;

and a forward, vertically arranged cover panel extending between theforward vertical shapes and having its vertical edges bent intoforwardly directed flanges, inserted into their adjacent slits, with thevertical side edge portions of the cover panel fastened by mechanicalfasteners to their adjacent tubular shape surfaces.

1. A cabinet for a trash compactor of the type having a verticallyarranged, open top container for receiving trash and within which trashis downwardly compressed by a vertical ram member having means mountingthe ram member above the container for vertical movement into and out ofthe container, said cabinet comprising: a horizontal floor pan uponwhich the bottom of the container is supported, the pan having oppositeside edges; a horizontal frame spaced a distance above and having sideedges vertically aligned with the pan side edges, the frame being formedto dependingly support the ram member mounting means; a pair ofvertically elongated, rectangular, relatively thin sheet metal sidepanels, each vertically extending between a pan side edge and itscorresponding frame side edge, the panels extending the full length ofsaid side edges, with the upper and lower edges of each of the panelsbeing arranged in face to face contact with and mechanically secured totheir adjacent pan and frame side edges; the vertical edges of each ofthe panels being bent into integral, continuous, vertically extendingtubular shapes, each offset outwardly of the frame and pan, with thetubular shapes each forming one of the four vertical corners of thecabinet; wherein the tubular shapes form vertical columns to rigidlysupport the frame and wherein the reaction forces applied to the frameby the downwardly moving ram member and the compressive forces appliedto the pan during compression of the trash in the container aretransferred through the side edges of the frame and pan to the sheetmetal body of each of the panels, placing these under tension so thatsaid side panels thereby receive and absorb said reaction and saidcompressive loads.
 2. A cabinet as defined in claim 1, and wherein theupper and lower edges of the side panels are bent into integralhorizontal flanges, with the upper flanges overlapping and arranged inface to face contact with the upper surface of their adjacent frame sideedges, and the lower frames are arranged in face to face contact withthe lower surfaces of their adjacent pan side edges.
 3. A cabinet asdefined in claim 1, and said frame comprising opposite, elongated sidemembers and cross-members spanning between and having their oppositeends connected to the side members, with the cross members being locateda distance from the opposite ends of the side members for extendingdirectly over and for connection to the ram member mounting means.
 4. Acabinet as defined in claim 3, and said pan comprising a flat,rectangular sheet, having downwardly bent integral edge flanges whichform its side edges, and having reinforcing channels secured to theundersurface of the sheet and extending from side edge to side edge andlocated directly beneath the area of the sheet upon which the containeris supported.
 5. A cabinet as defined in claim 4, and includIngroller-type supports secured to the pan for supporting the cabinet forrolling movement upon a floor surface and for supporting the pan adistance above the floor surface.
 6. A cabinet as defined in claim 1,and with one of the tubular shapes formed on corresponding verticaledges of each of the panels being formed by bending its panel verticaledge normal to the panel body, then parallel to and overlapping thepanel body, then normal towards the panel body again to form a generallysquare cross-section, each tubular shape extending sideways outwardly ofthe plane of its respective panel.
 7. A cabinet as defined in claim 1,and with one of the tubular shapes formed on corresponding verticaledges of the panels being formed by bending the panel edge perpendicularto the panel body towards the opposite panel, then parallel to the panelbody, then perpendicular to and extending back towards its respectivepanel body, but with free edges spaced a short distance from itsrespective panel body to form a continuous vertically extending slitinto the roughly square cross-section tubular shape frame thereby; and avertical cover plate extending between said corresponding verticaledges, with the opposite edges of the cover panel bent into flangeswhich are inserted into their adjacent slits and mechanical fasteningmeans securing the opposite edge portions of the cover panel to theiradjacent tubular shapes.
 8. A cabinet as defined in claim 1, the cabinethaving a forward face and a rear face, with the tubular shapes formed onthe rear edges of the side panels each being formed by bending its panelrear vertical edge perpendicularly outwardly of the body of the panel,then parallel to and forwardly of the panel body and then perpendicularto and towards the panel body to form a roughly square cross-sectionalshape arranged on the outer surface of and extending sidewise of thebody of the panel; and with the tubular shapes formed on each of thepanel forward vertical edges being formed by bending the panel edgeperpendicular of the body panel towards the opposite panel, thenparallel to and rearwardly of the panel body, then perpendicular to andtowards the panel body to provide a roughly square cross-section on theinner surface of the body of the panel, and forwardly of the forwardedges of the frame and pan.
 9. A cabinet as defined in claim 8, and withthe free edges of the sheet metal bent into forward tubular shapes beingspaced a short distance from their adjacent body portions to form acontinuous vertical slit; and a forward, vertically arranged cover panelextending between the forward vertical shapes and having its verticaledges bent into forwardly directed flanges, inserted into their adjacentslits, with the vertical side edge portions of the cover panel fastenedby mechanical fasteners to their adjacent tubular shape surfaces.